Despite the fact that cats occupy the first place in the list of the most popular pets in the country, they have long been surrounded by an atmosphere of mystery – myths that cats have nine lives and can see in the dark have been circulating for centuries. Popular memes with cats with red eyes shooting lasers from their eyes, unfortunately, do not improve the situation. At the same time, cats are really good at navigating in the dark, however, according to veterinarian Gary Weitzman, they do not have night vision. Cats' natural hunting instinct does allow them to see in very low light during nocturnal adventures, but in complete darkness these «nocturnal» animals don't actually see anything. Let's figure out how the eyes of the most popular pets in the world work and whether it is worth leaving light on for fluffies when leaving home.
Can cats see in complete darkness? Image: mediaproxy.snopes.com
Cats are believed to have been first domesticated 4,000 years ago by the ancient Egyptians, who worshiped them (as do many of us today)
Contents
- 1 Can cats see at night?
- 2 How and what do cats see in the dark?
- 2.1 How do kittens and adult cats see?
- 3 Should I leave the light on for my cat at home?
- 4 How to make your cat happy?
Can cats see at night?
Although cats can see in the dark six times better than the average person, veterinarian Gary Weitzman told National Geographic that cats do not have night vision.
Cat eyes have a unique a structure that evolved for hunting in low light conditions. Such twilight visionmeans they are most active at dawn and dusk (just like mice, rats, rabbits and many other animals). Some cats are most active at night, when it is easiest for them to find prey.
Cats are crepuscular animals, which means they are active during sunset and dawn. Image: www.telegraph.co.uk
Compared to our eyes, cats have fewer cones and more rods. Cones are responsible for the perception of color and detail, while rods are responsible for detecting light and movement. Cats also have larger corneas than us and wider pupils, which let in more light. Thus, cats see fewer colors than people.
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Wide field of view (200 degrees compared to 180 for humans) provides cats with better peripheral vision, which allows you to see objects on the sides emerging from the central view, that is, the place where the gaze is directed. Combined with a large number of rods in their eyes, cats can be exceptionally good at detecting subtle movements.
Cats cannot see in complete darkness. Image: www.purelypetsinsurance.co.uk
Behind the retina of a cat's eye (the light-sensitive tissue on the back inner wall of the eye) is a reflective layer – the tapetum – that works like a mirror. Light reflected back through the retina allows a cat's eyes to capture more photons—another benefit for vision in low-light conditions. The tapetum is also the reason why your cat's eyes «glow» in the dark or when shooting with flash.
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How and what do cats see in the dark?
We can't know for sure what exactly a cat's night vision looks like, but we can get a pretty good idea of the different aspects of vision due to the structure of their eyes. During the day, cats see color, but not as brightly as we do and mostly in blue and yellow tones. At night, cats see the world mostly in shades of gray.
Cats' twilight vision allows them to easily detect small movements and subtle changes in light. Moving objects are seen most clearly, while objects in the background are likely to be less clear and detailed (ideal for hunting).
The way cats see in the dark as imagined by artist Nikolai Lamm, who consulted with veterinary ophthalmologists to create parallel images of different scenes through human eyes and cats. Image: www.rbc.ru
Cat eyes are adapted to low light conditions, so they see better in dim light or in conditions that we would call darkness. ButIn bright light, cats' vision is not as clear and detailed as ours because their eyes are very sensitive to light and movement.
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How do kittens and adult cats see?
A kitten's vision is fully developed at around five weeks of age. From now on, he can see in the dark no worse than an adult cat. There are some age-related changes that can affect older cats' vision, including dark vision, but the effects of aging are different for every cat (just like us). So if your cat is over ten years old, she may not see as well as she used to.
Should you leave the lights on for your cat at home?
As a cat owner, you have every reason to worry about your furry pet, especially at night and when you're away. Fortunately, as long as your cat isn't in complete darkness—that is, without even a glimpse of light, including moonlight or street lights—she can see in low light better than her owners.
By the way, cats have much better night vision than dogs (and dogs have better night vision than humans). Image: images.prismic.io
This means that leaving a night light on for a cat is pointless, since street lamps or moonlight coming through windows, as well as the glow of electronic clocks and LEDs on household appliances will always illuminate the room. This light is enough for the cat to move around the house calmly. But if you leave the night light on, you risk disrupting your pet’s daily routine, which will cause the cat to be more active at night.
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Researchers note that during the day, cats' eyes turn into slits to let in less light, and at night, the pupils dilate to the size of saucers to let in more light. This allows cats to see better at different light levels over a wider range than you and I can.
If the environment is not completely dark, cats can identify their owner in low light by their silhouette. And although small details may be fuzzy, rest assured that cats recognize their owners in the twilight. However, since cats are nearsighted, they cannot focus on distant objects as clearly as humans. So lighting may not be an issue at all.
According to John Bradshaw, a cat behavior expert who spoke with National Geographic, cats' behavior towards people is «indistinguishable» on how they would behave towards other cats. So while cats may not view humans as their equals, experts say they view humans as their own species, he says.
How to your cat happy?
Cats require visual stimulation to maintain a good quality of life and senses. In the wild, these animals receive a greater variety of visual stimulation than domestic cats, but there are many ways to stimulate attention to your pet's wonderful eyes: install a special window sill for cats, ideally so that it overlooks the bird feeder or other places, where animals live.
Cat vision needs stimulation. Image: /catastic.pet/wp-content/uploads
To improve the quality of life of a domestic cat, experts recommend providing it with a high viewing platform, and it is best to play with your pet in “real” mode time»: Previous studies have shown that moving images can be beneficial for cats.
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Select Something suitable, such as a virtual aquarium or a show with birds, fish or small animals (there are many options for watching cat videos on YouTube). Some cats enjoy sensory videos for toddlers that are designed to provide visual stimulation.